Regardless of the social-distancing atmosphere that took over last Christmas, this year’s holiday is ready to welcome friends and family back to the traditional Christmas celebrations. And as things slowly start coming back to normal (or at least becoming normal as much as they can), the tables in many homes are once again invitingly overflowing with delicacies, surrounded by friends and family.
For plumbers around the USA, this means that once Christmas is over, one of the busiest days of their year begins.
After Thanksgiving, the day after Christmas, residential plumbers and plumbing companies have an abundance of work. All that bustling around the kitchen and houses filled with guests may bring us joy but it puts an immense strain on your plumbing system, unfortunately causing many plumbing issues you become aware of after the holiday is over.
So, if you don’t want to be the ones frantically calling a plumber this Christmas holiday, take a look at the best plumbing tips for 2024 Christmas we are happy to share with you!
Prepare Your Home
Plumbing problems are sadly those types of household issues that are put off until they go from bad to worse. You end up putting off calling a professional to fix this issue for you, and soon enough, you are wrapped in Christmas decorations and preparations, forgetting that the issue exists completely. Sadly, you could be faced with a plumbing catastrophe that can ruin your family gathering.
A good way of ensuring this year’s Christmas day is successful, besides planning a delicious meal and inviting your loved ones, is to make sure your home can endure the sudden influx of visitors. This means checking on your plumbing, too, since your sink, toilet, shower, and water heater will be working overtime. Fixing what you can in the days leading up to the holiday will ensure none of your visitors will be taking cold showers.
Keep Out Of Kitchen
Naturally, those assigned the job of cooking the mouth-watering meal should be allowed in the kitchen, but other than those selected few, other members should find other room for socializing. Reducing traffic in your kitchen can be very hard.
Christmas is all about family bonds and relationships and the kitchen is usually the place where they get stronger. Still, most of the plumbing problems following Christmas day have everything to do with foreign objects stuck in the drain. Silverware and jewelry are most common, followed by watches and even toys.
For this reason, it is vital to encourage your guest to socialize in the next room. That way, you can prevent any accidents and distractions that can compromise the plumbing system of your home.
Grease to the Jar
Cooking the holiday meal will involve a lot of grease, what with the turkey and gravy and dozens of other not-so-healthy but still delectable side dishes. However, grease is the number one enemy of your plumbing. You may think that warm grease will just slide down your drain easily, but that is not the case. The temperature of your drain pipes goes lower and further down the pipe. The hot grease traveling down the drain doesn’t stay liquid for long, and as it cools, it thickens, sticking to the walls of your pipes.Â
Even worse, the congealed grease stays very sticky, and all other debris going down the pipe like hair and crumbs just stick to it. Over time, the grease can collect so much waste and create a blockage in your pipes.
The proper way of disposing of grease on Christmas day and any other day is by pouring it in either a plastic bag or mason jar- both of which you will toss in your garbage bag.
Garbage Disposal, Not Garbage Bag
The power behind garbage disposal can sometimes be misleading, and many people are confident that their garbage disposal can take on any type of food waste.
However, so many food products can cause issues with your garbage disposal and your plumbing. The following list of food products is known to cause problems if disposed of in garbage disposal:
potato peels
eggshells
bones
celery
coffee grounds
fruit pitsÂ
pasta
Make sure you are well aware of the things your garbage disposal can and cannot ”chew on” and follow that list if you don’t want to be faced with inconvenient plumbing mishaps.
Use Dishwasher and Garbage Disposal Alternately
You may not know this, but dishwashers and garbage disposal end up sharing the same drain in most cases. If yours do, you’ll need to use your dishwasher and garbage disposal alternately, meaning one should be ”off” while the other is running. The reason these two can’t work simultaneously is the risk of the food waste from garbage disposal ending up in your washing cycle. Furthermore, if you have a blockage in your garbage disposal, running your dishwasher may cause a flood.
Only Flushables in The Toilet
If you decide to display wet wipes in your bathroom, make sure you inform your visitors of the proper way to dispose of them in the garbage bin. Wet wipes are not made to be flushed as they do not resolve in water as toilet paper does. There are also many other things you can find in the bathroom that are not ”flushable” but somehow end up clogging the pipes.
The following things shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet:
Q-tips
Feminine products
Paper towels
Cotton balls
Kleenex
Makeup remover wipes
Schedule Showers
If you are hosting more visitors in your home, it would be wise to schedule shower time. Having everyone showering at the same time while your washing machine and dishwasher are running can result in a shortage of hot water and sometimes even impact the water pressure in your plumbing.
Also, keeping showers shorter will ensure everyone gets a warm shower, leaving enough time for you to complete all water-dependent tasks.Â
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Don’t DIY!
Christmas may bring your family together, but it’s not the time to find out who the family’s DIY expert is. If you experience a plumbing emergency and try to fix it yourself, you may end up with a plumbing disaster. Always keep a trusted plumber‘s number for Emergencies at hand so they may deal with the problem while you enjoy the time with your loved ones.